COVID-19 Immunology
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Frequently Asked Questions on Long-COVID and Autoimmunity
Dr. William Michael Brode Dr. Esther Melamed Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez As the research on Long-COVID (PASC) is evolving at an excitingly rapid pace, this page of FAQs is reflective of information known as of February 2nd, 2023. 1. What are the symptoms of Long-COVID? (Dr. Esther Melamed) About 10% to 30% of patients who experienced…
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New Frontiers in COVID-19 and Autoimmunity
Written by: Chumeng Wang Edited by: Esther Melamed Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers and clinicians have sought to determine predispositions that may put individuals at higher risk for severe disease. As the virus spread and information became available about typical recovery times, more questions arose as some patients reported symptoms of Long COVID,…
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Investigating SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in an Amsterdam Multiple Sclerosis Cohort
Written by: Sean Brady Edited by: Esther Melamed Introduction The presence and quantity of pathogen-specific antibodies (such as SARS-CoV-2) can be an indicator of prior exposure to disease as well as an indicator of how well someone may be able to respond to that pathogen if they encounter it again. In a recent research letter in…
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Understanding Post-Covid 19 Neurological Manifestations in Non-hospitalized Patients
Written by: Sean Brady Edited by: Esther Melamed Who is commonly impacted and what are the common symptoms? It has been reported that between 36.4 – 82.3% of hospitalized Covid-19 patients present with neurological manifestations [1] (e.g., headache, brain fog, loss of smell, etc.). As the pandemic continues into 2021, It is becoming increasingly clear that…
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A perspective: the COVID pandemic’s negative impact on our microbiome
Written by: Nadia Siles Edited by: Esther Melamed As we observe the first anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic and reflect on how the pandemic changed and continues to shape our lives. We need to carefully assess how the pandemic control measures implemented worldwide to reduce transmission and save lives: social distancing, lockdowns, 20-second handwashing, and mask-wearing;…
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Nucleocapsid Proteins Trigger Main Antibody-Mediated Immunity in COVID-19 Patients
Written by: Zohair Ahmed Edited by: Esther Melamed The genome of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, codes for structural and non-structural proteins (ex: proteins mediating the virus’ life cycle). The structural proteins include the envelope (E) protein, spike (S) protein, nucleocapsid (N) protein, and the membrane (M) protein. The S protein plays a critical role…
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The Gut Microbiota and COVID-19 Severity
Written by: Nadia Siles Edited by: Esther Melamed For years now, we have known that our gut microbiota, the millions of microorganisms that inhabit our digestive tract, is primarily shaped by our diet, environment, and genes. The numerous interactions between our microbiota and our body are complex and bidirectional, to say the least. And in the…
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A New Year of COVID
Written by: Sam Bazzi Edited by: Esther Melamed At any other time, celebrating the advent of January 1st is a ritual that allows us to reflect on the past 12 months, find hope for the upcoming year, and make resolutions to improve our lives. Unfortunately, SARS-CoV-2 did not get the memo about the new year…